Fertility awareness

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Fertility awareness

Fertility awareness is a type of natural family planning based on a woman's physical signs of ovulation, such as changes in cervical mucus consistency and basal (resting) body temperature. Keeping track of these symptoms may be helpful if a couple is trying to become pregnant or trying to avoid pregnancy.

If a woman is trying to become pregnant, having sex during the 5 days before she ovulates and the day she ovulates increases her chances of success.
If a woman is trying to avoid pregnancy, avoiding sex until several days after she has ovulated helps prevent pregnancy (the human egg is typically fertile for only 12 to 24 hours after ovulation).

Because intercourse before ovulation can lead to pregnancy, and ovulation does not always occur at the same time every month, fertility awareness is not the most reliable method of avoiding pregnancy.

Credits

Author	Jeannette Curtis
Author	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Editor	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Editor	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA
Associate Editor	Tracy Landauer
Associate Editor	Pat Truman
Primary Medical Reviewer	Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine
Primary Medical Reviewer	Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Primary Medical Reviewer	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Last Updated	May 25, 2007

Last updated:	May 25, 2007
Author:	Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman

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